Today's Railways UK

This year’s DRS charity open day will be at Crewe Gresty Bridge depot on Saturday 11 July

It was great to join the Northern “Weardale Explorer” today raising money for charity with two through services using 158844 onto the scenic Weardale Railway from Bishop Auckland to Stanhope, and then a direct service back through to Darlington

Some mixed weather today but it was great to see the Watercress Line’s former Transport for Wales 150231 make its debut between Alton and Alresford!

An interesting day travelling around the Tyne & Wear Metro network today capturing the remaining old stock (five pairs in traffic) and the new Stadler units. The final 3x555s are due to be delivered next week with the old stock expected to be withdrawn from passenger service by early May

At least ten former SWR Class 455s are currently at Alstom’s Derby facility, having arrived from Wimbledon by rail. They are then being moved by road to the Wards scrapyard at Ilkeston and I was lucky to see some vehicles from 5719 being roaded away during my visit today

Thanks to Alstom for a tour of the production line at Derby today where they are building the next batch of 10 x Class 345s for the Elizabeth Line. Some vehicles of the first unit of this batch, 345071, are now nearing completion

The first refurbished CrossCountry Voyager, 220033, was unveiled by Alstom at Derby today and will re-enter service in late Feb. All 70 units in the XC fleet are to be refurbished over the next 18 months as part of a £75M programme funded by Beacon Rail which includes new seats

The March issue of @todaysrailwaysuk.bsky.social includes a detailed look at "Bellingham Bridge" (Curzon No.2 Viaduct) and the complex #HS2 approach into Birmingham. Available now!

Enter the “Serenza”: @LNER has released the first interior images of its ten new 10-car tri-mode CAF Class 897s which are due to enter service in 2028. It has also christened the trains “Serenza” and LNER says they will be the first new trains introduced as part of GBR and will be branded as such

Batteries are go: GWR will introduce battery unit 230001 into passenger service on the West Ealing-Greenford branch from this Saturday, 31/01. Initially it is planned to use the unit in service on Saturdays only with a view to increasing use through the year

Today was the formal launch for the Chiltern Railways Mark 5A sets, now named “Chiltern Explorer” sets, with 68022 working the 08.15 Birmingham MS-Marylebone. Chiltern is leasing all 13 of these former TPE sets which will eventually work most of its Birmingham route trains

Was great to be with the 125 Group today for their “Big Reveal” at UKRL’s Loughborough Works to mark the start of the HST’s 50th anniversary year. 43025 is now in Intercity Swallow, 43048 in Midland Mainline teal & tangerine and 43060 in GNER livery. More in the next TR UK!

More 66s to leave the UK: DB Cargo UK has agreed the sale of 25 of its redundant 66s to Romania’s largest private railway company, Grup Feroviar Roman. The first is 66014, already repainted into dark blue livery at Toton depot. All 25 are due will be exported by mid-2028

Tomorrow the new blue, red & white GBR livery & brand will be launched. The new design will be displayed on digital displays at a number of major stations. The DfT says the livery will appear across already publicly owned train operators from spring 2026, with the roll-out being gradual. 📷DfT

Great to be on the first East Midlands Railway “Aurora” to enter passenger service this morning - 810010 working the 07.00 Sheffield-St Pancras as its first train. More on the 810s in the next TR UK

Confirmation from East Midlands Railway this morning that the fleet of Class 810 “Auroras” will start entering service in December on the Midland Main Line. The first Class 222 has already gone off lease

Thanks to West Midlands Railway for the opportunity to look round Tyseley depot this afternoon to view the £70 million upgrade and rebuilding work carried out over the last 3 years. The depot is big so a tour around the site in 196008 was much appreciated! Read more in the next TR UK

Called into the NRM York this afternoon to have a look at the refurbished Station Hall, which has just reopened having been closed since January 2023. The exhibits are largely as before but lighting is improved with the new roof and the cafe has also been revamped

Great to be in Darlington today for the Railway 200 celebrations on the 200th anniversary of the modern passenger railway, with the “Locomotion” replica recreating the first day of services back in 1825 on the restored Skerne Bridge

Following conversion to UK spec the final former German 66 GBRf is leasing from Akiem - 66316 - is ready to enter traffic, being taken from Longport to Doncaster today by 66307. Due to time restrictions with the RHTT season ahead the loco has had GBRf vinyls applied over its former HHPI grey livery

Thanks to Southeastern for organising the excellent open day at its Ashford depot for Railway 200 today with a great selection of locos and units on display and the rare chance to look round this depot

And then there were none! This afternoon I completed my tour around Britain’s 10 least used stations with East Midlands Railway’s sparsely served Elton & Orston, involving a very hot walk from charming Bottesford, the least used station in Leics!A full write up of all 10 will appear in the next TRUK

After a break I’m continuing my tour around the ten least used stations - this evening it was the turn of Northern’s Ince & Elton on the Helsby-Ellesmere Port line, luckily the sparse two trains a day service has become more reliable recently, allowing me to alight and join 156412

Class 68s+Mark 5As for Chiltern Railways. The contract has finally been signed, with the 13 former TransPennine loco-hauled sets due to be introduced on Chiltern’s London to West Midlands route from next Spring, replacing the Mark 3 sets

Thanks to Alstom and the wider rail industry that all pulled together for an epic few days at the Greatest Gathering in Derby over this weekend. Certainly the biggest and best open day I’ve ever attended with well over 100 exhibits!

At Nottingham this morning for the launch of the first refurbished East Midlands Railway 158 - now in purple livery 158847 is due back in service tomorrow and will also be on display at the Greatest Gathering. The whole fleet is due to be done by the end of 2026

Thanks to GB Railfreight for hosting a launch event for its new bi-mode Class 99s at Peterborough today, with plenty of ice cream, CEO John Smith even arrived in his “Triumph”. Testing in electric mode starts on the ECML next week - more on these exciting new locos in our next issue

There’s a third station in Greater Manchester that’s in the ten least used stations, forgotten and neglected Clifton on the Manchester-Bolton line, served by just one train a day in each direction, Mondays-Saturdays. This evening’s 17.52 Stalybridge-Southport calls in the hands of Northern 769431

Back to visiting Britain’s 10 least used stations today, and two are served by the weekly Northern “Parliamentary” train from Stalybridge to Stockport, this morning 150113. We certainly weren’t the only ones travelling on the line today!

Thanks to the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway for a superb behind-the-scenes visit this afternoon - as well as the train ride it was also great to visit the “smallest pub on the planet”!